RESTON, Va. (July 13, 2001)—The Tire Association of North America is teaming up with the Motorist Assurance Program (MAP) in getting the word out to consumers on proper tire and vehicle care.
The two organizations have launched a cooperative program to improve consumer confidence in the tire and automotive service industries by distributing MAP literature on the basics of tire and auto care to as many tire dealers as possible, according to Ross Kogel, TANA executive vice president. Dealers, in turn, will be encouraged to distribute the materials to consumers.
“If there's one thing that we've all learned from the past year, it's the level of consumer awareness of taking care of their tires is critically low, and consumers need to take responsibility for that,” Mr. Kogel said. “This is part of the overall education program to make sure consumers are well-educated.”
The new alliance includes efforts to address concerns about the tire industry raised by regulators, the media and consumers in the past year. Founded in 1992, MAP's goal is to address similar concerns about the automotive service market. Mr. Kogel said the joint program will use MAP materials, TANA tire care posters already displayed in some dealerships, and new literature to be printed.
“We want to throw everything and the kitchen sink out there to make sure dealers have a plethora of materials to provide consumers,” he said.
The program also will promote the accreditation of service shops through MAP, which was founded by service providers, manufacturers, associations and others concerned about the reputation of the auto repair industry, has accredited more than 5,000 auto service businesses nationwide.